Spec Shop

I realize I never followed up with this story. My annual allowance with my insurance was never refunded to me and I ended up having to pay out of pocket for my contact lenses. The frames they gave me to replace the one they had lost were made of a metal that eventually (after a few years) started to cause an allergic reaction on my skin. It took me a while to figure out what was going on because I’ve never had an allergic reaction before, but finally last year my eye-​doctor suggested that that was what was going on, that my skin was reacting to the metal in my glasses. When I switched to new frames, the condition quickly cleared up. So not only did they lose my old frames, they replaced them with a model made from inferior materials.
I have to take back what I said about them not being unethical. They are unethical. And frankly I’m shocked they’re still in business. Is this store a front for something? That’s the only reason I can think of to explain why it’s still operating.

They are liars. They don’t take columbia insurance as their sign claims. And when u try to ask them about the insurance, they avoided the topic. Shameless. And they r very expensive too.
I waited for ten days, they never called me to pick up my glasses. Then I had to show up in the store and asked abt it. And they said they made a mistake and sent it to somewhere wrong. Incompetent.

I go there because they take insurance and the prices are reasonable. Most importantly, I already survived their initial vision tests and all the mistakes that went along that. But their hours are limited, and worst of all, I was told only one person knows how to accept insurance. So far, she wasn’t in on Friday, called out sick on Saturday, and won’t be in on Monday. I can’t imagine a drug store or doctor’s office that only accepted insurance on a random schedule. I pointed out the giant sign that says «we take insurance» but to no avail.
Two stars because they they refill my old prescription without doing a new test every year. My MD finds my vision to be ²⁰⁄₂₀ with lenses, so I’m just as happy not to pay for another test. (Of course the MD charges to write her findings down on a prescription, so that’s not a good option.)
No, it’s not by appointment only, but you have to do a lot of research to ensure that the service you need will be available when you get there.

The sign says they accept insurance, but they really don’t. Instead, they offer a 20% discount for those with Columbia Aetna.

The optician is fine – but nothing special. Just a polite old man, who seemed to test my eyes in a very ad hoc manner. $ 42 –I guess that’s ok for the USA (in Australia it’s free – and a much better, accurate, experience!).
The retail assistants /​secretary: a truly horrible experience. They try to make it seem as though you are going to buy their frames and lenses. Their selection is terrible. Only when I made it seem as though I might come back did they write out my prescription – finally. They seemed to have little regard for the will of the customer – you are beholden to them.
They particularly prey upon Columbia students: go elsewhere!

This places makes their dough because they accept all insurance… Since they don’t need to win your business with their service, they’re service stinks. I used it for four years because they’re the only place near Columbia that accepts Davis insurance, but I wasn’t enamored with the place…
— The actual optician who did my eye exams was a very nice, elderly gentleman
— The service staff who works at the place, however, is downright surly
— Despite the fact that insurance is their bread and butter, they had terrible attitude about checking with my insurance company to see if something was covered
— They would guess about if my insurance would cover a refill of my contacts instead of bothering to check
— When I was in their killing time I would check out their glasses and they had a really lame selection of frames
Go if you must… if you have another option, don’t!

Today I ended my 10 year relationship with Spec Shop. :(I had an eye exam there in 2004 when I started grad school and got some glasses and contacts that were very reasonably priced. I liked the two men who ran the store. I kept reordering contacts there for years. In 2011, they recommended that I get an eye exam because my prescription was so old, which I did. My prescription was completely unchanged. Today, I went in to replace my broken glasses.
The young woman behind the counter was already sullen when I walked in. When she pulled up my prescription, she cawed «This is expired.»
I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do next, so I just said, «OK, well I’d like to get a new pair of glasses.»
«OK,» she yawped and continued to stare at me dumbly.
I started looking at glasses, but felt uncomfortable under her empty gaze. She started to sigh loudly. «Do you care what they look like, or is that not important?» she glurbled.
I thought about what it would feel like to watch her swipe my credit card for 300 – 500 dollars, and my wallet started to cramp, so I said, «You know what, just give me a copy of my prescription.» She gave it to me and stamped a big EXPIRED on it. I said, «What does this mean? Will another place not fill it?»
She blarbled «Prescriptions are only good for a year, any other place will tell you the same thing.» Confused by the mixed messages of the whole interaction, I decided to take my chances.
I took the prescription down the street, and they said «oh this just expired a few months ago, if you’re still seeing well we can fill this for you.» Note that this place understood glasses prescriptions to be valid for 2 years, not 1. I ended up spending under 300 for hi-​index lens glasses (apparently a very good deal), but that’s another story.
The problem wasn’t the prescription expiration – which is annoying, but standard to the industry; it was the complete lack of communication and helpfulness. I feel bad; Spec Shop is obviously a small business, which I like to support, and I’ve had decent experiences there in the past, but glasses are a big purchase; I needed help from someone who knows the business, and I didn’t get it. My husband told me the woman who «helped me» is the daughter of one of the owners, and he’s heard her be abrasive and rude to customers and to her father in the past. They need to get her out of there or they’re going to lose more business. Fortunately for me, her subpar attitude saved me a ton of money, so that earns the 1 star I’m required to give.

One word: incompetent.
The man who works the phone is called Joe and he reminds me of someone’s idiot cousin who should not be running anything, but gets promoted anyway.
I’ve came here 2 years ago and this man quoted me three different prices for the exam, and then two different prices for the contacts even after he looked up my insurance. When I came to the store to pay, the price was different from all the other prices previously quoted.
He’s constantly losing materials, misplacing papers and health information. It took him an hour to search for my information, only not to find it.
I chalked it up to laziness (on my part) and compassion that I would come back two years later and see if they improved. Ok– maybe if the man working the front is incompetent, it doesn’t mean the ophthalmologist is an idiot too– right?
Wrong.
The ophthalmologist did the basic eye exam, subtracted a few steps, then read the number off one of my contact box. Then he tried to guess the other number from my other contact box.
Isn’t that the point of the exam?
The eye doctor struck me as lazy: he didn’t care if I got my contact lens prescription correct, he didn’t care if we finished the complete exam. He didn’t care if I understood his procedures, he didn’t care if I sat and waited while he chit chatted with Joe about football, bbq and their spouses. Sure– you can chat about that stuff — but not when you told me to have a seat and I had to wait twenty minutes for you to finish. He didn’t care if the way he got my contact lens prescription is akin to my five year old nephew repeating sesame street numbers.
I am running to another ophthalmologist and I would advise you to do the same.
Also, don’t promote your idiot cousin.

I received an eye exam from this shop for contacts and glasses. After I received the results and insurance paid for the exam, the sales person took the contact lens prescription from me (when I wasn’t looking). She told me that I could not have both prescriptions and would have to pay for another exam (the exam I just took!). She then said «You’re not going to get that information. I threw it away.» This is destruction of health information, which is grossly unethical and possibly illegal.
Needless to say the woman was disrespectful and insulting, and I plan to purchase my glasses and contacts elsewhere. The other staff person looked the other way and told me I «would have to call the boss later.»
I strongly suggest you go elsewhere.

I’ve been getting my contact lens needs taken care of here for years. It’s kind of expensive, but it’s not a chain and I like their optometrists. They’ve got a good selection of frames too.
And, if you’re nice to them and you don’t have insurance, I’ve found that they are usually willing to cut you some kind of deal so that you can work with them. It’s nice.